Great Horned Owl (also Tiger Owl or Hoot Owl)

This feather is a classic example of owl plumage, featuring soft 'fimbriae' that break up air turbulence. The Great Horned Owl is a large, powerful predator with prominent ear tufts and large yellow eyes, often called the 'winged tiger' for its hunting prowess.

Alternating horizontal bars of dark umber brown/sooty black and pale cream to buffy white. The distal end shows distinct banding, while the proximal end is a solid smokey gray.

Combination of pennaceous (at the tip) and extensive plumulaceous (at the base) barbs. Features distal barbules with elongated velvety extensions (fimbriae) that dampen sound.

Velvety, soft, and matte. Lacks the glossy sheen of water birds. The surface feels like soft flannel, an adaptation for sound absorption during nocturnal hunting.

Distinct horizontal brown banding on a cream background, velvety texture, and an extremely fluffy/downy base (aftershaft area).

Extremely varied: deciduous and coniferous forests, swamps, orchards, agricultural areas, deserts, and even urban parks.

Resident throughout North and South America, from the subarctic tree line in Alaska and Canada down to the tip of South America. Non-migratory.

Apex nocturnal predator. They control populations of rodents, skunks, and even other birds of prey. Their presence is a sign of a healthy, complex food web.

Barred Owl (Strix varia) feathers have similar banding but typically show more vertical streaking on certain body parts and lack the exact warm buff tones of the Great Horned Owl.

Great Horned Owls have a crushing power in their talons of up to 500 lbs per square inch. They are one of the few predators that regularly hunt skunks because they have a very poor sense of smell.

Excellent condition with minimal wear. The barbs are mostly intact, suggesting a recent molt. No visible fault bars or parasite damage.